The present invention relates to a headphone with a microphone, particularly for use instead of the handsets of telephone apparatus, and comprising a microphone, an earphone and means for maintaining the headphone on the head of the user, the maintaining means comprising a carrying ear hanger in the form of a disc-like member adapted to the back of the ear and a hook member extending forward on the topside of the ear when in a working position.
Different headphones, so-called handfree headsets or headphones, are well known wherein one or two earphones (telephones) are mounted on a band which is placed above or below the head of the user, while a microphone is placed in an arm which is cantilevered by the band and in such a manner that it can be turned to a position in front of the user's mouth. Such headphones are fairly complicated to place in position on the head and to remove again, and adjustment is usually always required with each use. However, they are particularly inexpedient in that the band when carried above the head collides with the hair style, and when carried below the head the entire weight of the headset is carried by the auditory ducts of the user via the attachment of the earpieces. In this connection, a further considerable drawback consists of the constant pressure exerted on the ears, causing nuisance by long term use, e.g., a whole day.
Another prior art headphone of the above-mentioned type (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,118) consists of a housing of the behind-the-ear-hearing-aid-type which is placed behind the ear and having tube or conduit connections to the microphone and earphone, respectively, the latter transmitting sound via a conduit which is inserted into the auditory duct and being fixed in the duct with a conventional earplug. One drawback of this construction is that the ear plug inserted into the ear exerts a constant pressure in the auditory duct and it becomes dirty from earwax, so that for hygienic reasons it can normally only be used by one person but has to be replaced when used by others. The insertion of such a foreign body constituted by the earplug into the auditory duct may sometimes cause the development of eczema or other irritations. The use of such headphones with earplugs will normally be restricted to a limited period due to the pressure and/or irritation. Finally, also the actual placing of the headphone on the user's head is fairly complicated.
This is not the case in a further known headphone with microphone which is maintained on the user's head solely by an earplug in connection with the earphone (telephone) which is inserted into the auditory duct. The telephone is provided with an arm which extends towards the user's mouth when in a working position and which at the end carries the microphone. This embodiment is inexpedient like the previous one in that the earplug becomes dirty from earwax and furthermore causes the above-mentioned pressure and skin nuisances, and the entire headset is carried by the earplug which rests in the auditory duct.
DE-A 3.208.497 discloses a headphone comprising an on an arm which is connected to an ear hanger via a spring-loaded hinge and a connecting member keeping a given distance between the ear hanger and the earphone. When the headphone is in working position, the arm carrying the earphone and the axis of the hinge are substantially vertical to enable the earphone to be pivotally adjusted in the horizontal plan relative to the ear hanger to an appropriate angular position against the ear.
In a still further prior art headphone with microphone (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,378) the earphone is located in a housing intended for placing in front of and upon the user's ear. A mouth tube extends from the housing towards the user's mouth where it is provided with a microphone. An ear hook is pivotally connected to the housing-and is urged by a spring against the back of the ear towards the housing so that the ear is kept clamped between the housing and the ear hook.